International Strategy

American Apparel, the U.S. clothing retailer known for its controversial advertisements and founder, is bucking the trend in the U.K. and has reported positive sales growth despite the shrinking U.K. consumer's purse.

Tesco is capitalizing on the 45 percent surge in its online clothing business by expanding this service to international markets. The U.K. multichannel retailer will deliver its range of clothing to countries in Europe through Clothingattesco.com, to be relaunched this month.

Golfsmith has established a partnership with The MoreGolf Group, South Africa’s largest golf retailer, as part of a global strategy toward growth. At 78 stores, Golfsmith is the largest golf specialty retailer in the United States. It said it will reinvest the income generated from the just-announced partnership into its core U.S. business. In the past year, Golfsmith has formed new partnerships for its proprietary brands in Europe, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and now South Africa.

OneStopPlus.com announced its expansion in the Canadian marketplace with the launch of an exclusive shopping catalog and initial strategic TV advertising buy. The catalog offers an assortment of trendy plus-size fashion from proprietary brands, including Woman Within, Roaman's, Jessica London and Avenue, and the advertising buy seeks to target on-trend plus-size Canadian women in top networks.

British apparel retailer Jack Wills is looking to nearly double its store count in the United States, according to various reports in the U.K. media. The company, which specializes in preppy clothing for young men and women, currently operates 11 U.S. locations and has plans to add eight to 10 stores next year. It made its U.S. debut in 2010, in Massachusetts.

Swarovski partnered with SCVNGR to launch a treasure hunt across London on Sept. 24 to celebrate the London launch of 'Discover Your Light,' the company's "exciting move into cinema." This campaign marks the first time that SCVNGR has offered an event-based challenge outside of the U.S.

Value Retail, a company that owns nine outlet centers in Europe, is set to open a 600,000 square-foot outlet shopping center in Suzhou, China, 50 miles outside of Shanghai. 

Joe's Jeans announced that it's opened its second store in the Middle East at the 360 MALL in Safat, Kuwait. The 360 MALL is a world-class shopping destination and the globally acclaimed winner of Retail & Leisure International's Award for International Shopping Centre of the Year.

Express is taking its brand of specialty retail apparel north of the border this September with the opening of its first location in Canada. The company said it plans to open a total of six stores in Canada by the end of 2011, and an additional 50 stores across the country over the next five years.

Multiple sources in Moscow said that Victoria’s Secret will open its first Russian store in Moscow on Sept. 30. Experienced American brand franchise Moneks will open four Victoria’s Secret stores in and around Moscow prior to year’s end.